Photographer's Note

A common scene throughout Paris and many parts of the world…and that’s a big part of the reason why I took this shot. Certainly nothing of huge impact, but it’s just one of those every day moments that caught my eye as I was sitting nearby, taking a break from another long day of walking.

The secondary reason for snapping this shot was that it made me think of a funny movie scene from Austin Powers: Goldmember – “Would you like a smoke and a pancake…you know, a flapjack and a cigarette? Hmm, alright…cigar and a waffle? No?...pipe and a crepe?....bong and a blintz?”

This phrase (smoke and a pancake) was intended to highlight two popular stereotypes of Holland: marijuana and sweet confections. Certainly not meant to offend anyone, just a simple play on a familiar tune.

Makes me laugh every time, what can I say… it’s just my ridiculous kind of humor! :)

Thanks for stopping by.

If you’d like to actually watch the clip, and it’s available in your region, here's the link:

I reads your note about the Dutch people, I am no Dutchman but a Belgian habitant, maybe in Amsterdam shall your find marijuana and sweet confections, but not in the country side, (joke).
Nice daily life scene with these young lady and cigarette and one glass white wine.
Excellent nice quality and lovely presentation.
Very well done, TFS.

Hi Jason,this pic is a very nice gift to a barman as i am...ehhee...beautiful perspective with the DOF on the woman and his whit wine glass on the table,and a rich blurred background,all turned to the warm ray of sun,i like it! Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

Your note is excellent Jason and since your asking a smoke and pancake sounds lovely thank you! The light and your very good choice of DOF isolates the young lady from the background and makes her the focus of attention. Question.... why is everybody facing in the same direction? Nice shot. Warm regards Rosemary

A sight most seen in Paris's streets, jason. Simple and calm moment.
Wine glass and a cigarette, reading a papaer -m what else a young lady in this beautiful city needs more...
Though you did not show her face, I think she mingle well in the Cafe' vicinity.
Best regards,
Ike

An interesting and amusing little note and a wonderful shot with which to illustrate it.

I just love candid street shots like this and this is a particularly good and inspiring one. What really makes it for me is that the lighting and colours are superb. The colours are natural but vibrant - those red table tops see to that - but the light is truly stunning as it really picks out the main subject - the closest lady with her right hand held up holding a cigarette - against a much darker and nicely out of focus background.

Composition-wise it's perfect too, the glass of wine nicely balancing the composition. And your exposure is bang-on and the details and sharpness in the main subjects are stunning. Very well done for what must have been really quite a quickly-taken shot.

Hi Jason,
magnificent shot my friend(I took quite similar shot in Barcelona).Nicely observed and captured.But for me the most important thing here is the unique mood your picture conveys so well.
And one thing more-the blurry background!Magnificent and making the scene even more captivating and dreamy.

Hi Jason,
An excellent candid camera shot. Great use of tele-lens (am I right). The photo is well compressed and the lady in the front is in superb light. Today still many people use to relax with cigarette and glass of wine or cup of coffee. Some people are smoking and living long (see one of past German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt is smoking like a chimney and is 94 years old) and some people are nor smoking and die young. But I'm not promoting smoking.
Well done.
Greetings,
Miro

Hi, Jason,
ha-ha! Amazing idea! Would you like a milk and fish? No? Coke and tomatoes? No? Orange juice and cucumbers? No? Why? ;)) I know a lot of very strange combinations without alcohol and tobacco too.
But I like this daily life scene from Paris. And I really don't like a wine with cigarettes. Not the best taste.
Best wishes,
Serghei

Artistically, cool composition withe the similarly-posed figures forming a nice diamond, highlighted by the great red tabletops and the webbing in the chairs -- although I wonder whether the chairs themselves were red, or is the webbing just picking up the bright red from the tables?

Politically -- I have heard young people around the world complain, with some legitimacy, about "American cultural imperialism," the notion that US culture invades and occupies local cultures around the world. Especially in light of the known health risks of tobacco, wouldn't you think that NOT SMOKING would be a great place for each of these folks to start their resistance to "ACI?"

Hi Jason,
I like this, as its a sign of times past. Once upon a time in a little soggy place called Ireland, a smoke and a drink was the basis for the entire countries socializing. However, the impact of a smoking ban has driven everybody away from the pubs, and into their own homes and a dark cloud befell the people.
Haha, amateur dramatics there, I actually agree with the ban, it certainly helped me give up anyway! But the funny thing is that now Ireland has outdoor smoking areas, and they make an appearance in the most unusual places. Walking through the centre of Dublin now, you might notice how the city has gone all European and placed cordoned off seating areas around the outside of coffee shops and restaurants. Sadly, the weather is not as European as this idea, and it can be amusing to see people sitting out in the rain, in the same pose as the woman above, but with a distinctly blue tint to their skin courtesy of the hailstones bouncing off their faces.

On the plus side, it saves people a fortune on coffee. Everytime you take a sip, the rain fills it back up again. Every cloud has a silver lining!!
All the best
Noel